Corn-planter.



No. 731,60?,l PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

m auf MENEM. @mm BLANTBR. PJPEMLATNY PI'LED JUNE 8, 1901.

\ N0.V MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Engl- Wz'izess es,4 1 Inventar YH: Raums Ferias nu, PHuTo-Lrmo..wAsmNngof:c n. c.

PATENTBD JUNE'ZS, 1903.

` R. o. NEWELL.

CORN PLANTBR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1901.

-.N0 MODEL.

4 SHEBTS-S 1IIEET 42.

R. o. NBWBLL. com: PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE. 1901.

mi Norms PETERS oo.. PNomrlTNo.. wAsm-crcN, n, c,

PATENTBD-AJUNBHZB, 1903iVv R. o. NEW-ELLl coRN PLANTBR. APPLIOATIONFILED JUNE 8:. 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

no MODEL.

Patenten June 23, 1903.

ATENT @Errea RALPH o. NEwELt, or--vENus NEBRASKA.

SPECIFICATION forming partI of Letters iatent No. 731,604, dated June23, 1903.

Applicationfiled June 8,1901. i Serial No. 63,6.8l. (No model.) i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH O. NnvvELL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Venus, countyof Knox,and State of Nebraska, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Corn-Planters, ofiwhich the`following is a specification, the principle of the invention beingherein explained 'and the best modein which I have contemplated"applying that principle, so asto distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates tomachines for plant ing cor`n,"its Vobjecibeingtoeect such plant` ing economical]y!that"`is` with the" least p'osl sibleexpenditureuo'f-time.` y

Said invention consists 'of meansth'ereinaft ter fully describedgand'specifically set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain m`echanism embodying the "invention, such disclosed meansconstituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principleof the invention inaylbe used.

In said annexeddrawings, Figure I repre? sents a side elevationof acorn-planter embodying vmy invention. Fig.A II represents a top planview of samej Fig. III represents a vertical longitudinal section ofsame. Fig. IV represents a front `view. Figs. V and VI representenlarged detail'horizontal and veri tical sections, respectively, of theseed-dropping mechanism, adjacent mechanismbeing shown in Fig. VI.

A main frameA is journaled upon the planter-axles B Bandextendsjforwardly and rearwardly thereof,`asshown` in FigfII; Upon theforwardend of such frameAis`l` journaled .1 at a a, Fig."II,`across-frame C, upon which" are secured" the plows orfurrow-'openers Dand the seed-dropping mechanism', hereinafter described.` "`Anupright"U-shaped frame E is supported on bearings `j'ournaled upon rods f', Whoselower extremities are secured" the said axle. Said frame E forms asupport for rock-shaft F, upon which are secured two rocking arms f, to`-whoseends are hung two to two arms cc, respectively, which are xed tothe cross-frame C, as may be seen in Figs.

I andIV. A lever F', provided with a springstop f2, cooperating with asegment f3, ac-` cording to the construction ordinarily employed inmachines of this class, is secured to said shaft F and may be caused toraise or `lower the front portion of the machine, and therebylift theplows from or permit them to enter the soil in which it is desired toplant the corn. i Upon the lower extremities of the upright frame E aresecured or formed the axles B, upon which are mounted the wheels B B',the space intermediate of such extremities being thereby left free andopen.

Uponthecross-frame Care mounted in suitable bearing and one on eachfsideof the central vertical plane of the machine two transverse shafts G G,Ato each of whose inner extremities is secured a sprocket-wheel g, eachshaft bein g provided witha beveled gear-wheel g' intermediate of itsextremities, as shown in- Fig. IV. Upon each such shaft and near itsinner extremity is journaled one end of a member 7a of a secondary framewhich extends back between the Wheels, as shown in Fig. II. The freerear end of such frame carries a shaft II, upon each of whose ends ismounted a sprocket h. Intermediately of such sprockets and upon themiddle of such 'shaft is secured a driving spur or rimless wheel H,provided with nine spurs h2.

Two clutches I-I2 H2, operated by suitable levers and rods h3, areprovided and arranged so as to permit either one or both the sprockets h'to be thrown into or out of gear with the shaft, and hence with thespur-Wheel. Two sprocket-chains H3 form the connection between sprocketsg g and It h', as shown in Fig. II, whereby it is seen shafts G G may be`driven by spur-wheel H'. i

Upon the upright frame E is mounted a `second shaft F2, provided with alever fA1 and 3two rocking arms f5f5, which are connected `with theframe members h by means of rods f6, through the medium of which thespur- Wheel may be raised or lowered. Said spurwheel is provided withthree spurs ht, Fig. III, having paddle -like portions securedtransversely at the ends thereof, such spurs being placed at equalintervals around the periphery of the spur-hub. These spurs are adaptedto imprint in the soil a groundmark of a character such as may be easilyand readily distinguished from thosemade by the remaining spurs.

IOO

The free end of the secondary frame may be raised or lowered and thespur -wheel caused to engage or disengage the ground, according as it isdesired to effect or discontinue the operation of the machine.

' Upon each end of the cross-frame C is secured a seedbox J, the bottomof which is formed with an annular opening j, having downwardly-slopingsides, Fig. VI. Beneath said opening is seated a rotatable disk K,pierced by a series of seed-holding openings la. A portion of saidannular-opening is covered by a metal plate or cut-olfj, secured byboltsjz, Fig. V. Said disk K is seated in a recessed beveled gear-rimK', which is held in place by means of a stationary plate K2, which issecured by means of a bolt Zo'. Said plate is provided with adischarge-opening k2 beneath the plate j', which registers with theupper end of a spout L,which discharges into the interior passage-way m,formed in the plow or furrow-opener D. The bottom opening of saidpassage-way is controlled by a Valve L', which is pivoted upon the plow,as shown in Fig. III, and is operated by means of a link Z, lever Z',and a threespurred wheel G', one of which is secured to each outer endportion of shaft G, whereby said valve is caused to open and close threetimes during each revolution of the shaft G.

Immediately above the discharge-opening k2 is located in an apertureformed in bottom of the seedbox a spring-actuated ejector 7c3, whichnormally projects into the seed-recesses 7a4 formed in the disk as theypass beneath it. Said plunger assures the ejection of seed from suchrecesses into the spout L.

The principle of the operation of the seeddropping mechanism and theconstruction and operation of the plow in connection therewith isidentical with that employed in other machines of this character, theparticular arrangement of the parts as described being,

however, claimed as new. Each seedbox is removably secured to thecross-frame by means of an open hinge js, Fig. IV, and a latch j',whereby the boxes may be readily removed and replaced.

To each side of the machine is pivoted an indicating-arm M, Figs. I andIV, which is operated by means of a cord or chain, the

. end of which is detachably secured in any central planes of the twoplows, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

A marking-diskv N, Figs. I and II, is suit-l ably secured to the rearend of the machine in any of the well-known ways in which such disks aresecured, so as to be capable of bedrawn forward and the drivingspur-wheel is lowered into contact -with the soil.

In operating the machine the levers F' and v7A1 are manipulated in amanner such as to lowerl the plow and driving spur-wheel into the soil.Upon the forward movement of the machine the spur-wheel is rotated,thereby operating the seeding mechanism, seed being periodically droppedthrough the dischargeopening k2 by the rotating disk K through the spoutL into the interior passageway of the plow. Such seed are periodicallydischarged from such passage-way into the furrow formed by thecorresponding plow by the opening of the valve L', which is eected bythe rotation of the spur-wheel G' and the consequent periodic engagementof the lever Z'. Upon reaching the end of the furrow both the plows andthe spur driving-wheel are lifted and disengaged from the soil. Themachine then being turned to start the next row, it is drawn forward inthe new direction and the indicating-arm M on the side of thelast-planted row and the plows lowered. The machine is then movedforward until the end of said arm rests approximately upon the lastground-mark made by the paddle-like portion of the driving-spurs. Thedriving spur-wheel is then turned by hand until the valves open and seedare dropped. Immediately upon such action the driving spur- IOO IIO

wheel is lowered into contact with the soil,

the indicating-arm drawn up, and the machine started forward to plantthe next row. Such above described manipulation, it is seen, causes thefirst hills of corn in each row to begin upon the same straight line,which is the object to be obtained.

When it is desired to effect the operation of but one seed-dropper, theone or-the other clutch mechanism is caused to throw the correspondingsprocket h' out of gear with the shaft H, as is desired. 1

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means covered by any one of the followingclaims be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinventionl. In a corn-planter, the combination of p suchwhee1,connections between the latter and the seed-dropping mechanism fordriving the latter, and clutch mechanism for connecting such droppingmechanism with or disconnecting same from said Wheel.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination of a main frame pivoted upon thecornp1anter wheels, a secondary frame pivotednpon such main frame,duplex seed-dropping mechanism on such secondary frame, a spur-wheeljournaled upon the latter, connections for operating said droppingmechanism by means of said spur-Wheel, means for raising and alslowering the latter, and clutch mechanism for connecting ordisconnecting'either of such dropping mechanisms.

3. In a corn-planter, the combination of duplex seed-dropping andfurrowing means,

- a spur-wheel connected with and adapted to operate the seed-droppingmechanism and to effect distinctive ground-marks midway between thefurrows formed by the furrowing means, and an adjusting-rod secured tothe side of the planter having its extremity removed laterally'therefroma distance equal to one and one-half times that between said furrowingmeans.

Signed by me this 8th day of May, 1901. RALPH O. NEWELL. Attest:

D. T. DAVIEs, A. E. MERKEL.

